Civil War Lecture: Lab Fridge

July 9, 2016 @ 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

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Presented by Elsa Sangouard, Conservator, USS Monitor Project

In addition to the large number of metal artifacts in the USS Monitor collection, there are also about 700 organic-based objects. Ranging from common gaskets containing fabric to sophisticated garments and wooden gun tools, all of these artifacts spend some time in our walk-in refrigerator before being conserved; some of them are still there awaiting treatment. This presentation will provide an overview of the vast organic collection recovered from theMonitor’s wreck site and discuss how conservators within the Batten Conservation Complex at The Mariners’ Museum and Park are stabilizing these artifacts for future generations. The conservation treatment of a wool pea coat recovered from the turret in 2002 will be highlighted.

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